Closure for shoe or boot top



Nov. 23, 1965 u CLOSURE FOR SHOE OR BOOT TOP Filed July 25, 1964 WM 97 ,r. M 6% w United States Patent 3,218,737 CLOSURE FOR SHOE OR BOOT TOP Carl Burtotf, 702 Kathleen Place, Brooklyn, N.Y. Filed July 23, 1964, Ser. No. 384,812 3 Claims. (Cl. 3650) (Granted under Title 35, US. Code (1952), see. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

My invention relates to a closure for the top of a boot or shoe.

In many tropical countries various species of scorpions, spiders, snakes, etc. frequently find shelter in empty boots or shoes during the night. Many servicemen have been bitten while trying to put on their shoes.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a closure for the top of boots or shoes to close same and prevent insects and/or snakes from entering the empty boot.

Another object of my invention is to provide a closure for the top of boots or shoes which will be light in weight and will not interfere with the use of the shoe.

A further object of my invention is to provide a closure for the top of boots or shoes which can readily be attached to a conventional shoe.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a shoe showing my closure in the closed position in full line and in the open position in dotted lines;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the shoe shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a modified form of my invention; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary top plan View of the closure shown in FIGURE 3.

In the drawing wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral indicates generally the closure which comprises fiaps 11 and 12 secured to the shoe 13 by stitching 14 or any other suitable means. The flaps 11 and 12 are closed when the shoe is empty by any suitable means such as the zipper 15 having a conventional operating tab 16. In lieu of the flaps 11, 12, a continuous flexible closure 17 see FIGURES 3 and 4) could be em.-

ployed having its lower portion secured to the shoe 13 by stitching 14. The upper portion of the flexible closure 17 is provided with a zipper 18 which is closed by pulling the operating tab 19 towards the heel of the shoe.

When the shoe 13 is worn, the flaps 11, 12 which are stitched on the outer surface of the upper portion of the shoe or the flexible closure 17 of FIGURES 3 and 4 fall along the outside of the shoe as shown in dotted lines in FIGURES 1 and 3. Once the serviceman removes the shoe 13, the conventional zipper closure 20 or eyelet 21 and string 22 is closed, and the flaps 11 and 12 are then closed by the zipper 15.

It is to be understood that the forms of the invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred embodiment of same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim: 7

1. A device for closing the open top foot opening of an empty shoe having an upper portion comprising a flexible closure having upper and lower edges, means securing the lower edge of said closure to the upper port-ion of the shoe, and means closing the upper edge of said closure to prevent snakes and the like from entering the empty shoe.

2. A closure for the open top foot opening of an empty shoe having an upper portion comprising at least two flaps forming extensions of the upper portion of the shoe, means securing said flaps to the upper portion of the shoe, and means closing said flaps to prevent snakes and the like from entering the empty shoe.

3. A closure for the open top foot opening of an empty shoe having an upper portion with inner and outer surfaces comprising at least two flaps forming extensions of the upper portion of the shoe having upper and lower edges, means securing the lower portion of said flaps to the outer surface of the upper portion of the shoe, and movable slide means adjacent the upper edges of said flaps closing same to prevent snakes and the like from entering the empty shoe.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,114,435 10/1914 Batten 36-50 1,172,770 2/1916 Deutsch 3650 2,159,816 4/1939 Murphy 36-50 2,345,057 3/ 1944 Marinette 36-60 FRANK J. COHEN, Primary Examiner, 

1. A DEVICE FOR CLOSING THE OPEN TOP FOOT OPENING OF AN EMPTY SHOE HAVING AN UPPER PORTION COMPRISING A FLEXIBLE CLOSURE HAVING UPPER AND LOWER EDGES, MEANS SECURING THE LOWER EDGE OF SAID CLOSURE TO THE UPPER PORTION OF THE SHOE, AND MEANS CLOSING THE UPPER EDGE OF SAID CLOSURE TO PREVENT SNAKES AND THE LIKE FROM ENTERING THE EMPTY SHOE. 